Nagaland Govt under YKK fire over village recognition

Dimapur : The Yeza Kughuko Kuqhakulu (YKK) has appealed for ‘support, join and cooperate with the YKK’ and abstain from attending the inaugural function of what it claimed was the “illegally proposed Kheshepu village”. A memorandum to the DC Zunheboto and Additional Chief Secretary was issued by one Vikato Yeptho, GB and chairman of YKK. The memo  referred to the “rescission of abeyance order of Kheshepu village recognition”.

The YKK in its memorandum pointed out that the establishment and recognition of Kheshepu village at Tuzu Bridge had been strongly opposed by the ‘parent villages’ from the ‘very beginning dating back to 1991, due to the act being a violation of Sumi Naga customary law’, the memo stated.

Accordingly, the case was taken up in the court of DC Zunheboto with a settlement order (vide JUDL/1/133/92/U/S Yezami and five others versus Kheshepu of Litami village of VK area, dated February 21, 1992).

According to the YKK, this order had prohibited the establishment of villages without prior approval from the ‘parent villages’. The order was issued in recognition of Sumi Naga customary law and in consideration of Government memorandum laid down criteria and conditions for establishment of a new village, it claimed.

It further said that the  YKK in the year 2005 submitted a “detailed statement to the government in the form of representation, memorandum, ultimatum, and through media as to why Kheshepu shall not be allowed to establish his village at Tuzu Bridge under Zunheboto district”.

Besides this, the YKK informed of  objection letters from the Sumi Kukami Hoho, Zunheboto Area GB Association, and the Aghunato Area GB Association  submitted to the government during the month of April and May, 2008.

The YKK disclosed that an ‘affidavit agreement’, dated February 14, 2008, between Kheshepu Assumi and GBs and elders of parent villages, was delivered at the office of DC Zunheboto, with Dr. K C Nihoshe, Parliamentary Secretary for industries & commerce, among  the signatories and witness to the agreement.

According to the YKK, the agreement stated that Kheshepu Assumi would never pursue for establishment of a village at Tuzu Bridge. This copy of the agreement was also submitted to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), the YKK informed.

The YKK in its memorandum expressed disappointment pointing out that in spite of several steps being taken by the YKK and various organisations, the government had turned down all efforts and issued another order for recognition (vide order no GAB-6/59/2005 (Pt) dated Kohima the 8th August 2008) “even though Shri Kheshepu agreed not to establish his village anymore”.

“Thus, it is very clear that the situation has been invited by the Government but not by Kheshepu that forced the YKK to take its own course of action in dealing with the above stated matter,” it stated.

The YKK warned that  failure on the part of Parliamentary Secretary Dr. Nihoshe to act, would call for “public attention to the fact that Dr. K C Nihoshe should resign on moral ground for misguiding the government machineries and the inability on the part of the government to protect the rights of the people.”

The YKK pointed out that the issue had “forced the ugly situation that may occur at any time at Tuzu Bridge and the government shall be held responsible.”